Nicole Chantal de Weever, Charlie Neshyba-Hodges, Bill T. Jones, et al. Win Astaire Awards

The winners of the 2010 Fred & Adele Astaire Awards have been announced. The prizes were presented on June 7 in a ceremony at the Gerald Lynch Theater at John Jay College. Lee Roy Reams directed the event, which was hosted by Ben Vereen.

The winners include Bill T. Jones, who won Outstanding Broadway Choreography for his work on Fela!. The winners of the Outstanding Female Dancer on Broadway category were Nicole Chantal de Weever & the Female Ensemble from Fela!, which includes Hettie Vyrine Barnhill, Lauren de Veaux, Elasea Douglas, Rujeko Dumbutshena, Catherine Foster, Shaneeka Harrrell, Chanon Judson, Shakira Marshall, Afi McClendon, Jill Vallery, Iris Wilson, Aimee Graham Wodobode. The winner in the men’s category for dancing on Broadway was Charlie Neshyba-Hodges from Come Fly Away.

Additional awards went to Adam Del Deo and James D. Stern for their direction of the documentary Every Little Step, and to Marguerite Derricks for her choreography for the movie Fame. As previously reported, director/choreographer Kenny Ortega is the recipient of the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award, and his award was presented to him by Grammy winner Roberta Flack.

The awards show also served as a benefit for The Douglas Watt Family Fund, with proceeds going to existing programs that introduce inner city youth to the world of dance.

For further information, visit: www.thefredandadeleastaireawards.com.